Variety denomination: Variety of Prunus persica, denominated as xe2x80x98TexKingxe2x80x99.
The present invention relates to a new, novel and distinct variety of Prunus persica (L.) Batsch, which has the denominated varietally as xe2x80x98TexKingxe2x80x99. The xe2x80x98TexKingxe2x80x99 Peach Tree produces a high quality, yellow fleshed, firm clingstone peach which matures early in the season. Another unique aspect of the xe2x80x98TexKingxe2x80x99 is that requires approximately 450 chilling units of dormancy.
The xe2x80x98TexKingxe2x80x99 peach is characterized as to novelty and is otherwise noteworthy by producing a high quality, firm, and attractive fruit which ripens in the early season following the variety xe2x80x98Flordakingxe2x80x99 (not patented) (Andrews et al. 1979, HortScience 14:81-82). In this regard, the present variety of peach tree bears fruit that are ripe for commercial harvesting in early to middle May, when the variety is grown in central Texas, which is about 7 to 9 days after the fruit of xe2x80x98Flordakingxe2x80x99 (not patented). Growing the variety in the ecological conditions of central San Joaquin Valley (Fowler, Calif.), the commercial harvesting is early June. Additionally, xe2x80x98TexKingxe2x80x99 exhibits the potential to be commercialized in medium chill regions.
The present peach tree was the result of an ongoing Stone Fruit Breeding Program of Texas AandM University, College Station, Tex. To this end, both controlled and hybrid crosses are made each year in order to produce seedling populations from which improved progenies are evaluated and selected.
xe2x80x98TexKingxe2x80x99 (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch originated in the Stone Fruit Breeding Program at the Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas AandM University, College Station, Tex. The seed parent was xe2x80x98Goldprincexe2x80x99, a nonpatented variety released in 1989 by the USDA Stone Fruit Breeding Program located in Byron, Ga. (Okie, 1993, HortScience 28:231). This peach was crossed with the selection TX3290-2 which was a large fruited, early ripening, medium chill selection from a cross between the selection Y7-97xc3x97xe2x80x98Hamletxe2x80x99. xe2x80x98Hamletxe2x80x99 is a non-patented peach released from a North Carolina breeding program (Clayton et al., 1977, Fruit Var. J. 31:34-35). Y7-97 was selected at the Yoakum Plant Disease Experiment Station from a population derived from a cross made at Rutgers University on a tree of a New Jersey peach selection (CITY32-423) with pollen from a selection (C9-42) from the University of Florida.
In 1992, the cross was made, embryos were rescued, and the seedlings were planted in a high-density fruiting nursery at College Station in 1993. In 1994, xe2x80x98TexKingxe2x80x99 was selected under the selection name of xe2x80x98TX2B6xe2x80x99 for having exceptional characteristics, including early maturity, large fruit size, good productivity, yellow ground color, round shape, high red overcolor, and excellent firmness. It was propagated asexually by budding and has been evaluated in Texas, California, and southern Spain.
In May 1997, the new variety xe2x80x98TexKingxe2x80x99 was bud grafted onto virus-free xe2x80x98Nemaguardxe2x80x99 (The Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit and Nut Varieties, 3rd Ed., American Society of Horticultural Science Press, Alexandria, Va., 1997) peach rootstock. xe2x80x98TexKingxe2x80x99 was propagated at the experimental orchards of Texas AandM University near the city of College Station (Brazos County, Tex.) and near the city of Yoakum (Dewitt County, Tex.) in the south central region of Texas and at experimental orchards near the city of Fowler (Fresno County, Calif.) in the central portion of the San Joaquin Valley of California. Fruit from the resulting propagation has been evaluated from 1994 to 2001 in College Station, from 1997 to 2001 in Yoakum, and from 1999 to 2001 in Fowler. This evaluation clearly demonstrated that the repropagated trees are true to the characteristics of the original seedling in all observable aspects.